If there was a sports car hall of fame – or walk of fame – then choosing which cars appeared would be a contentious affair.
Even so, most of us could make some assumptions on which car’s names would be written upon the walls or imprinted in the sidewalk, judging by the reputations some of these cars have acquired over time.
Ferrari would almost definitely be in the hall of fame, with cult cars like the Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferrari F40 and more; Mazda and its MX-5 would feature, and you would also notice a plethora of classic JDM greats.
Of all these JDM greats, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R would naturally be on this list of prestigious machinery – not only does it rub shoulders with some of the best Japanese sports cars ever, but it was also an extremely capable and legendary car in its own right.
We look a little closer at this unlikely hero – a Nissan which could take the fight to Ferrari on paper and in the hearts of car fans the world over.
The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R: A Cult JDM Hero
The Nissan Skyline was in its 10th generation by the time the R34 arrived, the 11th generation would alter the Skyline’s recipe significantly – and not for the better.
It was during the subsequent 12th-generation Skyline’s tenure that the fabled Nissan GT-R (R35) would appear, effectively becoming the spiritual successor to the last of the GT-Rs, the R34.
In this way, the R34, which was only produced from around 1998 until 2005 - for the last Nismo Z-Tune model - was the last of its kind.
This model was not sold officially in the US, but the earliest cars will soon be importable from overseas under the ‘25-Year Rule’.
Nissan’s R34 GT-R was a cult hero in drifting, racing, modifying and in the virtual world where many learned about it and others of its ilk by playing driving simulators like Gran Turismo; today, it remains a cult hero and examples of this car sell for an average of $150,000 according to Classic.com.
Nissan’s Skyline GT-R R34 Was A Feat Of Engineering
For the 10th-generation GT-R, the engineering, performance, handling, and styling all came together to make something special.
Nissan’s RB series of engines was back, the straight-six RB26DETT twin-turbo unit in the GT-R made an official 276 hp but in reality, the figure was significantly higher, up to nearly 330 hp depending on who you believed.
The 4-wheel-drive system worked with the car’s advanced electronic systems to provide excellent traction and performance, while the engine itself was highly tunable.
Sharp styling and great performance made this an excellent car, and today it remains a wonderful example of a dying breed.
Today, more than ever, the idea of a manual, combustion-engined sports car is to become further and further from reality through the mass adoption of automatic transmissions and electric drivetrains.
Part of the appeal of the R34 Skyline GT-R nowadays is the old-school straight-six engine, a manual gear change and that styling which stands out among modern crossovers and thanks to the R34’s design: pretty much anything else.
Impressively, this JDM car was capable of a sub-5-second 0-60 mph time, just like the Ferrari 456 grand tourer, which had a 5.5-liter V12 under its hood; and the R34 GT-R also had all-wheel-drive which the far more expensive Ferrari did not.
Buying A Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 On The Used Market
As already discussed, the car was not officially sold in the US but when the cars are 25 years old, they will be importable; there are however older GT-Rs available on the used car market which are already legal in the US, but prices are relatively high for this cult JDM hero.
TradeCarView, an online import marketplace had five examples of the R34 GT-R advertised, with the lowest price starting at around $100,000 – for a great-looking silver 2001 model with 100,000 miles – but that car will not be legal for another 4 years.
It is much easier to find its successor for sale – the R35 Nissan GT-R - which is currently advertised on CarGurus.com from around $60,000 upwards.
That car, which is newer and faster than the R34 lacks the iconic design and cult status of its sibling – but it makes for an easier purchase and one that can be made now, in 2022.
The R35 Nissan GT-R offers a legendary drivetrain and chassis with 480 hp upwards and four-wheel-drive, but unfortunately the manual transmission wasn’t an option.
Alternatives To The R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan’s Skyline was part of a group of JDM cars that all became legends – the Toyota Supra (A80), the Mazda RX-7 (FD) and the Mitsubishi 3000GT.
Some were more prestigious than others – the Supra was arguably just as prized as the Skyline, and today values for a Toyota Supra A80 Twin Turbo are at around $80,000 according to Classic.com’s average sale price guide – Mazda’s FD RX-7 has an average sale price of $35,000 on the same website.
With the Toyota Supra, the twin-turbo, straight-six engined car sent up to around 330 hp to the rear wheels and had styling which although very different to the Skyline, would blow people away at the time.
The twin-turbo Supra today makes for a compelling alternative to its JDM sibling, the R34 GT-R.
While it lacks the four-wheel-drive and four-wheel steering capabilities of the GT-R, it makes similar power and is highly modifiable making it a great choice, even if for some it will always remain in the shadow of its exclusive and mysterious Japanese cousin.